As you may have noticed, 65th Street between College and Westfield and many others are getting street improvements thanks to urging from the BRVA. Kent Springer of BRVA reports his group was successful in getting the City to do the enhancements this year - earlier than scheduled. We need better streets and gutters that work given all the new development. Thanks to DPW and BRVA (and our utilities) for their great work on our beleaguered streets. The pothole/crater at 64th/College is finally gone.

Like biking at night? The CIBA Nite Ride will be July 8, 2017, with a ride from downtown then through the Crown Hill Cemetery. It usually kicks off around 11 p.m. Register at niteride.org. If you are not doing the ride, avoid the area which includes downtown and the near northside.

Summer ends early at the Broad Ripple Pool. I stopped by on June 22 for a noon swim only to find they were closed for maintenance reasons. Coupled with weather closures and they are also closed on Mondays, it's a short season for a great pool. (see p. 9)

On June 21 I spotted someone jet skiing on the White River along the Art Center. It's usually too shallow.

In addition to the great new Transit Center, IndyGo now allows you to find out where your bus is. Just call them and enter your stop number. IndyGo then has a system that tells you when your bus will arrive compared to when it was scheduled to arrive.

I have used it several times and it removes an anxiety of bus riding-namely, wondering when your bus will arrive. Broad Ripple has frequent service to downtown from the Village including the morning rush:

Bus Number Departure Times: 18 7 am, 17 7:02 am, 18 7:30 am, 17 7:32 am, 18 8 am, 17 8:02am, 18 830 am, 17 8:32 am, 18 8:57 am, 17 9:02 am

The #17 times shown are from Broad Ripple Avenue/Compton. The #18 times show are from College/63rd. Arrive 5 minutes early to ensure you don't miss your bus.

In short, there is no need to wait for the Red Line bus rapid transit to get to work downtown. We have great service now. For more information, call Indy Go at 317/635-3344 or visit them at www.IndyGo.net

No State Fair train again this year as the operators (Indiana Transportation Museum of Noblesville) continue to battle with Noblesville and Fishers which want to abandon the tracks for a bike rail trail. It's a shame. The tracks run all the way to 10th Street and could be a future commuter rail line. Indeed, the Indiana Transportation Museum is vying to run the train down for Colts Games in a bid to keep the service. Several years ago the train had a stop at 71st Street on its way to the Fair. While bus rapid transit is nice, you could argue the rail line from Noblesville to Downtown would be one way to relieve I-69 congestion. (It's amazing the Monon Rail line wasn't turned into a commuter rail line to Carmel.)

In other Fair news, the Fair runs from August 4-20, 2017, and each night of the fair features a concert that is free.

The 2017 Indiana State Fair Free Shows include:

George Thorogood and the Destroyers - Fri, Aug 4, 2017

Hotel California "A Salute to The Eagles" with Gordon Bonham Blues Band, and Terry Lee & The Rockaboogie Band - Sat, Aug 5, 2017

Hispanic Music Festival headlined by Chicas Roland and Carmen Jara - Sun, Aug 6, 2017

Bret Michaels: The Party Starts Now Tour - Mon, Aug 7, 2017

Happy Together Tour - Monday, Aug 14, 2017 - Starring: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Box Tops, The Cowsills and The Archies Ron Dante

Patti LaBelle - Thursday, August 17, 2017

Pack the Parks is Sat., July 8th. (Note: BR Pool is not expected to reopen by then)

July 18, 2017, is Wizard Expo at Broad Ripple Park, a Harry Potter special event for ages 6 to 13 from 10:00am-11:30am at the Family Center.

Wednesday evenings - BR Farmers Market @ Bent Rail Brewery along the Monon Trail, SoBro - 53rd and Winthrop Avenue.

Thursday evenings - Outdoor movies at Hotel Broad Ripple

July 7, 2017 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Summer Night Movie at IMA

July 28, 2017 - The Movie Friday at the IMA Doors open at 7 p.m., films begin at dusk